Internal-combustion-engine heater



May 18 m6, 3584 B A. T. JOHANSON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE HEATER Filed April 10. 1924 Patented May 18, 1926.

ADOLPH T. J'OHANSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MILTON E. PAGE, 33., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

IN TERNAL-COMBUS'IION-ENGINE HEATER.

Application filed April 10, 1924. Serial No. 705,436.

My present invention relates to means for heating an internal-combustion engine or motor, such as are commonly used in automobiles and similar structures.

When such an engine or motor is to be left in the cold, as when the automobile is permitted to stand on the street, during severe winter weather with .its relatively low temperature, no substantial difliculty is encountered in preventing the Water in the radiator and the engine water-jacket from freezing by the employment of any one vor more of several substances commonly used in this way, such as alcohol, or a mixture of alcohol and gylcerine, or calcium-chloride, etc., but the use of such means to preclude the water from freezing leaves the engine in a condition to become substantially chilled, possibly below the freezing temperature of untreated water. I

The lubricating oil in such a cold engine or motor becomes thoroughly cooled and in many cases to such an extent that it solidifies or hardens and seals the pistons to the cylinder walls renderin .starting of the enginegdiliicult and putting an undueload on the battery during the starting opera-- tion.

An electric storage battery, otherwise fitted to satisfactorily perform its functions, is unablethrough the starting motor to turn the engine over due to the excessive load occasioned by the sealed or frozen pistons which strongly resist reciprocatory movements in their cylindrs.

- The primary aim of the present invention is to supply sufficient heat to the engine or motor under these conditions so that the lubricating oil, especially that aroundthe pistons will not become congealed or solidified orhardened.

To this end, I provide a normally-inoperative heater in the exhaust pipe or manifold of the engine or motor which, however,

is active while the engine is still andsubjected tothe cooling influences referred to, the generated heat being transmitted by conduction through the metal exhaust pipe and other parts to the engine proper, the products of combustion from this burner flowing out" through the exhaust pipe and escaping into the air.

- In the present preferred embodiment of the invention, the fuel of such auxiliary or supplementary heating burner is ignited valve are controlled or actuated together or' substantially simultaneously by a suitable handle in convenient position, as for instance on the dash-board of the car, for manipulation by the operator. T

- The appliance can be supplied as a whole and easily clamped on to the exhaust pipe of the engine after the latter has been cut away or apertured as may be required for the introduction of the burner, such opening 'in the exhaust pipe beingcovered orclosed by this accessory,

To enable those acquainted with this art 'to fully understand the invention and its various benefits and advantages, in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, andthroughout the several views of which like reference characters refer to the same parts, I have illustrated a desirable and preferred embodiment of the present invention.

In this drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, plan view of an internal-combustion motor equipped with the new heating appliance;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section through the heater on line 22 of Figure 3, on an enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross-section through the motor exhaust-manifold adjacent to the heater, with parts of the latter broken away to more clearly show the structure; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary, vertical section on line 4- -4 of Figure 3, the parts being viewed in the. direction indicated by the arrows.

Referring to the plurality of views of this drawing, it will be observed that in Figure 1, I have depicted a Inulti-cylinder internalcombustion engine or motor having the usual exhaust manifold or discharge pipe 11 for the delivery of the products of combustion.

Between the first and second cylinders, 12 and 13 respectively, such exhaust conduit 1s cut away on its outer side at 14 and the suitably-shaped shell or casing 15 of the heater is clamped over and closes such aperture by means of back straps 16, 16 positioned to the rear of and bearing against the exhaust manifold and bolts 17, 17 passing through registering holes in the parts 15 and 16.

The inner face of the shell is curved or concaved at 1,8 to fit up snugly and closely against the convex margin of the manifold aperture in which position the shell or casing is firmly maintained against displacement by the clamping or fastening means specified.

The inner face of the shell is open so that the interior of such-casing is in direct communication with the hollow inside of the exhaust manifold, as shown perhaps most clearly in Figure 2.

An obliquely-disposed liquid-fuel burner,

' denominated 19 as a whole, and of any appro riate design, is mounted in such shell or holl bw body and is aimed or directed in the general direction of the discharge passage or flow of the combustion gases traveling through the exhaust pipe when the engine or motor is in operation.

In the present instance, such burner comprises an outer apertured, cylindrical Wall or tubular member 20 0 en at one end at 21, its opposite end being 0 osed by a centrallyapertured wall 22 having a threaded, axial boss screwed into a threaded hole in a thickened part of the oblique wall 23 of the shell or housing 15.

Internally, this member 20 is supplied with a smaller, concentric, apertured, tubular member 24 closed at its outer end at 25 and open at its inner end at 26, such inner element conveniently being supported from the companion, surrounding or enclosing member 20 by suitable spaced webs or connections 27 permitting passage of gases through the annular space between the two members.

A small, fuel-feed pipe 28 is screwed into the end wall 22 and is in communication with its aperture, its function being to deliver the fuel into the part 24, as is clearly shown in Figure 2.

Internally, the boss has a conical valveseat around the port or passage through it and an adjustable needle-valve 29 cooperates therewith to control or regulate the flow of liquid-fuel to the burner.

Such needle-valve extends out through a threaded bearing therefor in a hollow cap or plug 30 screwed into the threaded boss or thickened portion of the wall 23, the valve having a spur-gear 31 on its outer end by means of which it maybe turned to open the valve more or less or to close it.

A pipe or tube 32 connects the interior of such cap or hollow plug with a suitable source of fuel supply, such as a small tank, not shown, containing kerosene or similar fuel.

It will be perceived that as the parts are connected or associated together, the flow of fuel from the pipe 32 to the burner is controlled or regulated solely by the needlevalve.

This housing or casing end-wall 23 has a port 33 therethrough for the admission of external air to the shell and exhaust pipe to supply the necessary oxygen to carry on the fuel combustion at the burner.

Inside of the shell and coacting with such port, I employ a disc valve 34 having an arcuate port or slot 35 therethrough adapted by the turning of the disc or valve to uncover the port or opening 33, such disc being mounted to revolve with, but free to slide slightly longitudinally on, a shaft 36 extended through an opening in the wall 23 and revoluble in a bearing in a bracket 37 mounted on or forming a part of such wall.

At its inner end, this shaft has a collar 38 between which and the disc a coiled expansion spring 39 is employed to press the disc against the inner face of the end wall.

At its outer end, this disc shaft 36 is fitted with a spur-gear 40 meshing with the wider, needle-valve gear 31 and the latter in turn cooperates with an appropriately-mounted, intermediate, idler-gear 41 meshing with the teeth of an upper gear 42 on a shaft 43 revoluble in a bearing 44 on the top of the 1 shell and connected with a universal-joint 45 to a hand-operated shaft or rod 46 extended up to the dash-board of the vehicle, where it is readily accessible for turning.

In practice, the new heater is used substantially as follows:

lVhen the automobile is to be left standing idle under conditions which would otherwise cause it to become chilled or unduly cooled, just before the motor is stopped, the driver turns the shaft 46 an appropriate amount and thus substantially simultaneously opens the fuel needle-valve and the airinlet valve.

The hot exhaust gases ignite the low-grade fuel at the burner and after the operation of the motor ceases, the fuel continues its combustion at the burner so long as the needle-valve permits the fuel to reach the burner, the amount of fuel delivered and the size of the flame of course being dependent upon the extent of turning-of the shaft 46.

An adequate quantity of air entering the registering ports 33 and 35 affords a suitable supply of oxygen necessary to the combustion, the port 35 being of such size and shape that after the port 33 is once fully open it remains in that condition during any further opening of the fuel-valve.

The heat generated at the burner keeps the exhaust pipe and its connections to the cylinders at a suflicient temperature whereby, through conduction, the cylinders are prevented from becoming sufliciently cooled to congeal the lubricating oil or to permit its solidification or undue thickening which would render starting of the engine difiicult or impossible with the usual starting battery and motor.

By locating this heater near the front end of the engine, the entire length of the exhaust pipe or manifold is under the influence of the heat generated'at suchburner and consequently all cylinders of the engine are protected from becoming detrimentally cooled.

This invention is susceptible of a variety of embodiments and consequently isnot limited to the precise and exact mechanical details of structure illustrated and described, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination of an internal-connbustion engine having an exhaust-pipe for the discharge of the products of combustion, a fuel-burner in said exhaust-pipe, a valve controlling the supply of fuel to said burner, an inlet-valve adapted to admit air into said exhaust-pipe, and means to control the opening and closing of said air-inlet valve.

.2. The combination of an internal-combustion engine having an exhaust-pipe for --iuternal-combust,ion engine having an exhaust manifold .pipe for the discharge of the products of combustion, a fuel burner in the front portion of said exhaust-pipe, a valve controlling the supply of fuel to said burner, means to operate said valve, an air inlet-valve adapted to admit air into said exhaust manifold pipe, and means to control the operation of said air inlet-valve.

4. The combination of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine having an exhaust manifold pipe for the discharge of the products of combustion, a fuel-burner in the front portion of said exhaust-pipe, a valve controlling the supply of fuel to said burner, an air inlet-valve adapted to admit air into said exhaust manifold pipe, and a common operating means for said fuelburner valve and said air-inlet valve.

5. A heating attachment for use on the exhaust pipes of internal-combustion engines, comprising in combination, a support constructed to be mounted on an apertured exhaust-pipe of an engine covering such aperture, a fuel-burner on saidsupport de signed to project into such exhaust-pipe, a valve to control the. flow of fuel to said burner,-an air-inlet valve on said support adapted to admit air into said exhaust-pipe, means to operate said fuel-burner valve, and means to operate said air-inlet-valve.

6; A heating attachment for use on the exhaust pipes of internal-combustion engines, comprising in combination, a support constructed to be mounted on an apertured exhaust-pipe of an engine covering such aperture, a fuel-burner on said support designed to project into such exhaust-pipe in the general direction of the travel of the exhaust-gases through such pipe, a valve to control the flow, of" fuel to said burner, means to operate said valve, an inlet-valve on said support adapted to' admit air into said exhaust-pipe, means to operate said air-inlet-valve, and means common to both of said valve-operating means to actuate 

